


pretty hands, pretty hearts

by huehchan



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Masseuse, F/F, Flirting, Romance, Romantic Fluff, a short piece, masseuse!siyeon + her client minji, sapphic innuendos everywhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26203954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huehchan/pseuds/huehchan
Summary: Her eyes flick to the Minji's upper lip, the tiny fleck ever so distracting. The edge of her lips curl up, and Siyeon justknowsshe's been caught yet again."You're staring," she murmurs, but there's not a hint of malice. Her tone is light, a little playful--like she's enjoying this little game of keeping count the amount of times Siyeon's been painfully oblivious infront of her.And as for Siyeon--her heart stutters in her chest, just like the apology that leaves her lips.(Deep down, they both know she's not actually sorry.)
Relationships: Kim Minji | JiU/Lee Siyeon
Comments: 10
Kudos: 143





	pretty hands, pretty hearts

**Author's Note:**

> The one in which Siyeon is a massuese who specialises in hand massages, and Minji is her pretty purple haired client with pretty hands.
> 
> \--
> 
> this au has been circling in my brain for over four months now, and I just Needed to write it already. it was sooo much fun to write, and a nice short breather from the other stuff I've been up to :")
> 
> ill be updating my jibo daycare au in about a week or so, (hopefully...) but for now, some soft singji for the soul uwu
> 
> thank you for reading this drabble in advance, continue streaming boca guys!! 
> 
> and as always, until next time friends!! :"D

i.

Siyeon loves her job, just as much as she loves hands.

She's fortunate, well she believes she is, because she gets to make a living on what she genuinely loves to do everyday.

Because after all, it's not everyday you get a fix out of massaging hands.

Well, not just hands. She's a massuese, after all. She knows how to massage everywhere. But hands? Hands are what she especially specialises in.

Hand reflexology is the appropriate term, but massaging hands just seems to roll off the tongue better for her, especially when she discloses it to strangers and potential suitors. She doesn't need to go too into depth on what it all entails.

But perhaps what's the most unfortunate part about specialising in hand reflexology is that it's not the most common thing to request, and she's usually stuck with the other areas of the body, the back, the neck--you name it.

Everything except hands.

So it comes as a shock when Yubin informs her one night as they close, that a client has requested her for nothing but a simple hand massage for a future booking.

"You must be kidding," she has to say to Yubin. Because really, the last time she's had such a specific request was when she was a rookie to her job, which was years ago. (Or months ago, she can't really remember.)

"Does it sound like I am?" Yubin replies, and Siyeon believes her by the way her droopy eyes seem to bore into her. Typical straightforward Yubin. 

"But that's not all, it's a private appointment too." Yubin continues, and Siyeon listens keenly while swinging in her squeaky stool. "They specifically requested you of all people. Here, it specifically says, _I would like to request my massuese to be Lee Siyeon_. How peculiar."

"They know my name?"

Yubin shrugs. "Well, you _are_ well known for your hand massages. They probably wanted the best of the best."

"Oh." Siyeon blinks, then swats a hand at her, scoffing with a grin. "You flatter me too much, Yubinnie."

Yubin sighs, and Siyeon beams a smile at her.

But...still, for some reason, the fact that she requested for her specifically, still nags at her. It'll probably bother her all night, ah, she definitely won't be able to fall asleep tonight.

"Hey, Yubin. Can you tell me the name?"

"Jiu is the name." Yubin says, "sounds like a pen-name."

 _Jiu._

Siyeon hums to herself.

How peculiar, indeed.

\--

So, turns out--Jiu is not who Siyeon expects them to be.

She had expected a woman, which yes, she's correct in. But everything else, no. She had expected her to perhaps be in her late thirties. A mother maybe, an artictech, a painter, just someone who was involved in art or something, (it's always the creative artists who are her clients, Siyeon always has to remind them to take care of their wrists) but nope, turns out -- Jiu is a total hottie.

Okay, maybe that's a little general and crude. Jiu is, in fact, the most gorgeous client Siyeon ever has the pleasure of laying her eyes on.

Long purple hair cascading over her shoulders, red supple lips, a white tee tucked in black jeans along with a leather jacket.

But it's Jiu's eyes that get to Siyeon.

Soft, familiar brown doe eyes that immediately crinkle into an eyesmile when their gazes meet, and Siyeon almost mistakes Jiu for someone she once knew in the past who had the same, delicate eye smile she has.

But perhaps thats just her attraction speaking, beause after all,

Jiu is, probably to Siyeon, the epitome of peak attractiveness.

"Hello," is the first thing Jiu says, and beams a smile that Siyeon is pretty sure could outshine the sun.

She bows slightly as she approaches the table Siyeon's set up for them, and Siyeon almost forgets her basic manners to greet her back. She gets up quickly from her chair, knocking her knee against the table and almost slips out a curse.

"Would you like water?" is what she asks through pained, clenched teeth, and Jiu shakes her head politely.

There's a pause as she stares at her, and it's almost as if she's forgotten how to function as a normal human being.

"Um, may I…? Jiu prompts, breaking the silence, and Siyeon nods fervently.

"Of course! Please."

But instead of Jiu sitting down onto the plushy chair that Siyeon cues her to, she begins to slowly peel off the leather jacket off her shoulders, and Siyeon watches, flabbergasted.

She doesn't mean to stare, but turns out, Minji is actually wearing a muscle tee under that leather jacket, and Siyeon feels like she's committing a sin for seeing the glory that is her slender, yet quite toned pale arms be exposed so slowly. The more Jiu slides it down her arms, the more Siyeon's throat becomes dry.

(She notices the slight ghost of a smile playing on Jiu's lips, and for a split second, Siyeon wonders if she's doing it on purpose.)

"I'm sorry, it's a little hot in here. Don't you think so?" Jiu says, so innocently, doe eyes disappearing into crescents as she folds the jacket neatly on the table. "I apologise, but may I have some water?"

"S-sure," Siyeon stutters, fucking stutters.

She's never stuttered in front of her clients.

"One moment, please. I'll be right back."

She may need a glass herself as well.

\--

Jiu, Siyeon quickly learns, is dangerous.

Because one moment, Jiu is docile. She listens well, she's attentive. She enjoys going into detail about the things she wants, and it helps Siyeon immensely to have Jiu guide her on where it is exactly on Jiu's wrists or fingers that aches.

(And on that, has she mentioned yet that Jiu's hands are incredibly soft? She enjoys pinching them, because of how malleable her skin is. She's never had this much fun pinching skin, the last time was with someone who had a very familiar touch to hers. In a way, Jiu and this person almost seem to have the same touch, but Siyeon brushes that thought as quickly as it comes. She's not even sure if that person is real.)

But anyways, the thing is, Jiu doesn't seem to have a filter. Siyeon quickly learns as well -- she enjoys asking a lot of questions.

"Hey, how about we play a game?"

It's only been five minutes into Siyeon beginning her massage session, and already, Jiu's prompted such a random suggestion.

"Twenty questions game. To break the ice."

Siyeon contemplates it. She doesn't really mind. She's not a fan of the silence during sessions, and figures Minji's probably not the type either, judging by the way the balls of her sneakers seem to slightly bounce off the floor, in a rhythm.

"Sure." She nods, and continues to gently rub at the skin in between her knuckles. She then reaches for the massage oil bottle. "That sounds like fun."

"Right? I'll go first then," Jiu says, nibbling her lower lip and looking at her with a look that could make her knees buckle if she wasn't sitting right now. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Siyeon almost tips over the bottle all over the table, and laughs. "Boyfriend? That's how you start?"

"You don't, then?"

Siyeon bursts into laughter. "Does it look like I'd have one?"

"So, girlfriend then?"

Siyeon flushes. Okay, she definitely didn't expect that. She almost chokes on her saliva and lets out a hacking cough. "Me? Girlfriend?"

"It's a yes or no," Jiu says, shaking her head. Then she adds gently, "But of course, you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"I…I don't have a girlfriend either." Why does she sound slightly disappointed?

"Ah…what a surprise," Minji says, a little lowly and Siyeon tries to mask the curiosity in her face. "A face like yours I assume would be stealing men and women's hearts left and right. But I guess that's a relief then."

"What?"

Jiu's gaze flickers, and she leans forward, knees now brushing against hers under the table. Siyeon's breath hitches. She's doing this on purpose. Oh god.

"Because now…I have a chance now to steal your heart with no one in the way."

This smooth little--

Siyeon is just rendered speechless. She's sure she's sweating. Can Jiu feel how clammy her hands are through the oil? Jesus--

But oh, wait. Jiu's torture? Flirting? Just doesn't seem to end there. Her eyes begin to trail down to her lips, agonisingly slow, before they move up to meet her eyes again. Then like the mystery that is Jiu, the molten gaze disappears, and her beaming smile returns as she leans back onto her chair again, knees withdrawn from hers.

"That is, if you swing that way, of course!" She says, and offers her a light-hearted smile. Siyeon's mouth gapes open slightly, heart still pounding in her heart. "Your turn now, Ms Lee."

(Jiu is definitely…very dangerous.)

Siyeon finally recovers, but her cheeks are still flushed when she decides to get back at her. "Alright, how do you know my full name?"

Jiu's brows raise slightly, and Siyeon thinks she's finally gained an upper hand when she sees the way her eyes hesitate, her suave act from before dropping.

"How would I not? You're all over the internet, everyone recommends you." Jiu's eyes avert to the table. "I thought that was an obvious answer."

But Siyeon isn't satisfied, strangely enough. "I've never disclosed the Lee. Just Siyeon, L. What's your full name?"

"Ah, ah. That's cheating, two questions in a row." Jiu softly tuts. "Anyway, it's my turn now."

"Fine."

"Are you interested in girls?"

"Ah!" Siyeon has to stop massaging for this one. "That again?"

"Yes, that again." Jiu beams. "So, are you?"

"I--" She pauses. Is she?

All her life, she's never really once stopped to think about it. Sure, she's had a few girl crushes, maybe she's thought about kissing a few girls, but all girls do at some point, right?

Like that time she thought about how nice it'd be to kiss Yoohyeon while they were still in highschool, at that sleepover.

Or that one faint memory of her kissing a girl by the sea during that one summer holiday, who strangely reminded her a lot of Jiu in a way, but Siyeon's sure it couldn't be her. She regarded that memory more of a dream that anything.

But she does remember the sensation of kissing her, and liking it. A lot.

Wait.

"Siyeon?"

(She had really liked it. Enough so that she went in for another one.)

"I-I don't know," she says finally, and begins massaging her knuckles again. "Maybe. I don't know. I don't have enough experience to know."

"Oh…okay!" Jiu says brightly, and Siyeon chuckles slightly, ignoring the reopened wound in her chest. "I'll take that over a no any day."

"Alright," Siyeon hums, "So then, what's your name?"

Jiu smiles, and it's a soft one. Different from the confident and suave ones she'd flashed at her before. This smile is a little wistful. A little sad, and if Siyeon isn't mistaken, Jiu's confident demeoner from before seems to drop entirely.

"You really don't know?" She asks almost too quietly, that Siyeon almost doesn't hear her.

"What?"

"Minji, Kim Minji. That's my full name."

Minji.

Something lurches in Siyeon's chest, hearing that name. It sounds familiar, and yet it doesn't seem to at all.

"Minji…" Siyeon tries it out on her tongue, it rolls off her perfectly. "That's a pretty name. Why use Jiu?"

Jiu, no, Minji--offers her another smile, voice fond when she speaks again. "That's another question. You gotta play by the rules, Singnie."

Siyeon is about to complain again, but then she pauses and realises what Minji just said.

Singnie?

"Wait, what did you just call me?"

"Hm?" Minji smiles again. That same old wistful smile from before. "Hey, that's the third time. Are you asking for a punishment?"

"What--" Siyeon blurts out. "Stop changing the subject, and also, who said anything about punishments?"

"You did."

"What--" Siyeon almost scratches her scalp from frustration. "You did, though!"

"I don't know." Minji's smile turns playful, and she quirks an eyebrow. "Did I?"

"Ah, stop it! I'll end our session early if you're going to continue being like this."

Now that seems to strike a cord in Minji, and Siyeon almost relishes in her panicked expression, confident facade crumbling.

"Alright, alright! I'll stop--"

"Nope. That's it."

"Wait!"

Strangely enough, the taste of summer and ocean waves hit Siyeon as she bursts into laughter.

(Talking to Minji is like talking to an old friend, Siyeon realises,

Almost as if she's reminiscing a past she's not sure actually exists.)

\--

Of course, a week later, Minji comes in for another appointment.

"Missed me?" Is what Minji begins with, and this time Siyeon tries a new tactic to avoid last week's mess.

By not responding back at all.

"Ah, you're ignoring me. Fine. I'm tired anyways."

Siyeon almost opens up her mouth to ask why she's tired, and to gently prod at her that not getting enough sleep is not good for her health and she should be taking care of herself more--

But then that'd be throwing the towel in, and she's not going to give up so easily.

So they continue to sit in ambient silence as she massages her, the only sound being the relaxing meditation playlist playing in the background, and the occasional trickle of a waterfountain audio mixed into it.

"Ah…that feels good." Minji sighs softly, and something coils in Siyeon's stomach hearing her. She watches Minji close her eyes, and wonders if this is yet another tactic to get her all riled up again, because it may or may not be working.

Since Minji isn't staring into her soul like she was last week, Siyeon decides to take this as an opportunity to study her features, because after all, what else can she do?

So her eyes study Minji. The curve of her nose, the soft yet sharp rounding of her eyebrows, her delicate lashes, her skin details…her red lips. But something catches her attention the most out of them all.

Her eyes flick to Minji's upper lip, the tiny fleck ever so distracting. But it's like Minji can see her even if her eyes are closed, the edges of her lips curling up, and Siyeon just knows she's been caught yet again.

"I can feel you staring," she murmurs, but there's not a hint of malice. Her tone is light, a little playful--like she's enjoying this little game of keeping count the amount of times Siyeon's been painfully oblivious infront of her.

And as for Siyeon--her heart stutters in her chest, just like the apology that leaves her lips.

(Deep down, they both know she's not actually sorry.)

"Y-your nails are lovely," Siyeon blurts out, purely to change the topic all together. But also--Minji's nails are lovely. And pretty. Minji is pretty. But her nails are something else. The more Siyeon looks at them, the more she's drawn to them. Long, slender fingers with perfectly manicured nails. She'd love to have a wallpaper of them, just so she could stare and marvel at them all day--

Siyeon blinks, thoughts dispersing. Wallpaper? What?

"I keep them short so they don't get in the way."

"Of what?" Siyeon asks, watching Minji's eyes flutter open, and oh--she immediately regrets asking. Minji's smile morphs into a smirk, irrestible, everything that she is. Siyeon stares more at her lips than at her eyes when she finally answers.

"I do like having long nails, but I'd do anything to make sure she'll have a good time."

Wait, what?

Siyeon stops, and swears Minji's smile grows a little bigger.

"You do catch my drift, don't you?" Minji says again, tone feigning ignorance as she inspects her nails. Siyeon almost wants to curse, hearing Minji's husky voice pooling into her ears. "After all, we're the same, you and I."

"What?" Siyeon's neck flushes. Her cheeks must be scarlet-- but god-- Minji's smile is both charming and irritating.

"How can you be so sure we're the same? I-I have long nails, you know." Siyeon replies, almost huffing.

Minji's eyebrows quirk up, and it ticks Siyeon off for a moment. She doesn't really get why she's acting so defensive, much less infront of a stranger--a client. Her client. Or whatever they are. Minji's kind of crossed a lot of boundaries, but Siyeon thinks she's more than willing to let her by now.

"Oh, no. You don't know?" Minji says, voice low with a little husk. She looks up at her through her lashes, eyes lidded, and Siyeon is powerlessly held captive in her gaze.

"You don't always have to be the one giving. You can receive too."

"Recieve? What?" Siyeon blurts out, almost frustrated more than anything. Why is Minji always so--so cryptic with her?

Her eyes linger on hers, seeking for an answer, pathetically so because she just wants to know already, but Minji seems more amused by this. Irritatingly so.

"Why don't you give me your number, and I'll let you experience who you are yourself? You'd be more happy than you think."

"What?"

A few seconds tick by, and then, Siyeon finally gets it.

Immediately a deep red flushes her cheeks, and she almost slams her hand on the table because she can't think of any less embarrassing way to put an outlet to her feelings--but Minji beats her to it first, she always does--standing up from her seat gracefully. She sends another wink to her to add salt to the wound.

"I'm only kidding, Siyeon." Minji says. She beams a smile. "I don't ask for numbers until the third date."

Siyeon is too stunned to say anything. To retort back that doesn't know a single thing about her, and that she's honestly, quite intrusive for the most part and really should just mind her own business but--

By the time she's come up with a cohesive response, Minji's already paid and out of the door, leaving Siyeon riled up, once again.

"Damn, did she just out you as a bottom?" She hears Yubin say behind her, whistling.

"A what?" Siyeon blinks, and furrows her brows at the unfamilar word. "Bottom?"

"Oh." Yubin pats her shoulder, eyes full of pity. Siyeon wants to hide in a corner and cry. "Don't worry about it."

(Don't worry about it means: do worry about it.)

When Siyeon goes home that day, she looks up the word, and for the probably the tenth time that day--her cheeks flush a deep red.

\--

"I am not a bottom."

Is what Siyeon says to her when their third session begins a week later.

"So you're a top then?" Minji replies, snorting a little. She says it like it's not even a possibility, and it stabs the pride in Siyeon's chest for some reason. She could be a top if she wanted too--

Wait, no. Bad Siyeon.

Her cheeks flush, and frustration bubbles in her chest. "Ah, I don't know! But I'm none of those things that you were throwing around the other day. Top? Bottom? Switch--"

"Oh?" Minji raises a brow, examining her nails again. Siyeon hasn't even started the massage. "Sounds like someone did their research."

"I--" Her words are caught in her throat. Why was Minji always teasing her like she knew everything about her?

"You…you don't know me. You're just a client," Siyeon says, and feels all sorts of wrong with that sentence. If the words had hurt Minji, her expression is masked enough that she doesn't show it.

Then Siyeon adds little quietly, "Besides, I…I don't know myself, either."

A pause. Then Minji lowers her hands onto the table, and offers her a small smile.

"Wow. You really don't remember at all."

"Remember what?"

But Minji deflects again. "Play the twenty questions game with me again, and maybe you'll figure it out by then, Singnie."

Siyeon blinks. Another wave of nostalgia hits her.

"Again with the Singnie." She utters, and her heart pangs. No one's called her that in years. Perhaps Yubin has, but it's not the same as how it rolls off Minji's tongue. Like she's said it a million times, like she's an old ghost of the past, speaking an endearing term reserved only for Siyeon.

She studies Minji's doe eyes, and the nagging feeling tugs at her heart. "Why did you specifically request me of all people? Do we know each other?"

"Clearly not, if you can't remember." Minji replies, a little softly. Again, that wistful sad smile returns. It looks familiar.

(An extended summer holiday, the smell of the salty sea, and fingers interlocking with one another return, clumsy kisses on lips and cheeks, a secret only they shared,

The summer sun, along with beaches of golden sand, hit Siyeon.

A familiar face, calling out to her as she leads her by the hand, right into the waves,

Almost like a siren calling out, a sad memory it is, for there's a final goodbye,

Remembeing it makes Siyeon's heart squeeze.)

"It seems you've forgotten." Minji says softly, disappointment evident in her tone. "We even promised each other, too. Did you forget that as well?"

Siyeon furrows her brows. "Promise?"

("…Hey, Singnie. When we're adults, lets find each other again. And maybe by then, we'd be able to love each other like normal people could." Another clumsy kiss to her forehead. "Promise?"

She remembers kissing lips, salty tears she could taste on her tongue. She was never really sure who those tears had belonged to, since she too, was crying.

"I promise, Minji," she had whispered, before stealing one last kiss from her.)

 _Oh_.

She finally remembers now.

"…Minji?" Siyeon utters out, and it all finally makes sense. A face lines up to another, and Siyeon almost falls off her chair by the way she screeches it back. Tears instantly well up her eyes, without her meaning to. "You're…"

Minji smiles, like she knows Siyeon's finally gotten it. And Siyeon? God--she feels it all hit her at once. It's overwhelming, like the air has been knocked out in her lungs and she just can't seem to breathe.

Minji.

The girl from her dream, the one she had kissed. She's real.

Minji, her first love.

Minji, a girl whom she had shared her first kiss with when she was only fifteen at that summer holiday by the sea. Siyeon had forced herself to forget, because the separation was too much for her. Not after she had carelessly given her whole heart to Minji that summer, not realising she'd never reunite with her again.

"You look so different, I--"

"It's the purple hair, isn't it?" Minji smiles, that same delicate smile that Siyeon had hopelessly fallen in love with. "Honestly, Siyeon. your memory is still terrible."

"How did you even find me?" Siyeon asks, laughing slightly because she can't think of any other way to hide her disbelief. Her shock. She always believed she'd never see Minji again.

But here she was, years later. Right in front of her, in her massage booth.

"I looked, and looked. And I found you finally. Perhaps we should start over again," Minji says, her eyes glimmering. "I believe we have a lot to catch up on."

"Yeah," she replies breathlessly, "we do."

Then Minji's eyes turn playful as she stands up in her seat. She combs her fingers through her hair, and Siyeon laughs as she watches her. Then Minji extends a palm out to her. She clears her throat, eyes twinkling. "Hello, my name is Minji. Nice to meet you."

Siyeon lets out a stifled laugh, and decides to play along with Minji's antics. She's still the same, just like when they were kids. She stands up as well.

"My name is Siyeon," she replies, smiling widely, and accepts her palm. "Nice to meet you, Minji. And if I could add, have we met before?"

Minji covers her laughing mouth with her free hand. "I believe we have, Miss Siyeon."

Their eyes meet, and this time, they're both sharing the knowing smile on their faces.

(It's almost like the first day they had met, by the sea.

"Hello. My name is Siyeon. What's yours?" her clumsy shy fourteen year self asked as she had extended a palm out to her.

"Minji. Hey, do you like crabs?" Fifiteen year old Minji had replied back. Lonely Siyeon nodded carefully. She had trouble making friends, but Minji was the first who didn't seem to be scared of her. Not at all.

"Come with me, I'll show you something!"

And then, Minji accepted her palm and pulled her to the down sea where they'd spent their summer afternoon catching crabs, before releasing them back into the sea.

"You're pretty good at this, Singnie."

The nickname had caught her off guard, and a blush adorned her cheeks. "I am?"

Then Minji smiled at her in a way that Siyeon's clumsy inexperiencied heart couldn't take. First day, and she had already fallen in deep already.

And then, the rest was history.)  
  
  



End file.
